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Five Earths - Timeline (2013 October)
This is the timeline of the Five Earths, All in a Row setting of 2013 October. (1941 on Earth-2, 1879 on Earth-3, 1556 on Earth-4, and 515 CE/1268 AUC on Earth-5) <-2013 September; 2013 November)-> October 2 In Dsp-Paris (on 'Earth-2', as officials from Infopunk Earth label it), the great French alchemist known as Fulcanelli helps La Resistance to disrupt a ceremony by Nazi sorcerors that would have given them auctoritas over the Paris Catacombs - something that would have been quite problematic for French Resistance activity in the Capital. Fulcanelli's much greater familiarity with both Roman ceremonies (the Thule Society sorcerors are quite skilled in Nordo-Germanic Rune magic, but Roman ritual magic was what they needed to use), and the Parisian magical environment, were utterly vital to the operation. Oct. 3 In Dsp-USA, Game 5 of the 1941 World Series is played (Inp-Earth Oct. 3 being Dsp-Earth's Oct. 6) between the Boston Red Sox (AL) and Boston Braves (NL). In the end, it's the Braves that win, much to the joy of some baseball fans in Inp-Atlanta, where the Inp-Earth Braves were moved to in 1966. Oct. 4 In Dsp-Soviet Union (Earth-2), KV-VI 'Behemoth' design finalized. When told that the vehicle would have great difficulty turning, Stalin is quoted as saying "They will not need to turn, they will drive straight from the boats to Tokyo and London." On Inp-Earth (Earth-1), the refitted Space Shuttle Atlantis is officially reactivated. Oct. 5 Banestorms, natural dimensional incursions characterized by accompanying weather anomalies (generally more dense than violent, impeding vision, hearing, and communications, rather than doing much damage), occur on all five Earths: * On Earth-1 (Infopunk), a Filipino dirigible-yacht called Apollion appears over the Minato ward of Tokyo, Japan. The captain-owner, crew, and passengers are quite surprised to see aeroplanes, as such are considered science fiction on their Earth, despite the current year being 1997! On their Earth, pioneers in powered heavier-than-air flight, including spaceflight, seems to have accidents with alarming (and suspicious) frequency, beginning with the death of Wilbur Wright in a glider crash in 1902. Thus, they have very sophisticated dirigibles and such, quite advanced analogue computers (this likely due to divergent evolution rather than sabotage), and no aeroplanes, helicopters, satellites, and so forth - though they do use high-altitude balloons to somewhat substitute for satellites, within the limitations that such devices have. Interestingly, their world has a still-extant Greater East-Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere in which Japan is not much more than First Among Equals, rather than a domineering conqueror. Crunch note: Worldline of origin is detailed the New Reality Seeds post on Dirigible, 1997. * On Earth-2 (Dieselpunk), A pair of Viking flotillas arrive. Those who head to France are mostly killed by trigger-happy Nazis, while two ships that turned towards England are met by the Royal Navy, and claim to be peaceful traders, once the Captain finds someone who can speak 9th-century Old Norse (Leading Cook (S.) Edward Lucas, oddly enough, who had left Oxford for the Navy when the war started, but had not tried to secure a commission). When asked what they're selling, they hesitate a moment, before offering 'fine weapons and shields, only slightly used!' A sorcerer from the Stella Matutina arrives shortly via yacht, and confirms that they are indeed from another dimension - while banestorms are very rare on Earth-2 (having more than two or three per century would be quite surprising), they are not nearly so unexpected as they are on the other four Earths. Crunch notes: Worldline of origin is Quantum 7, early TL3; possible historical echo of Crossroads-4e/Earth-2/Dieselpunk Earth. * On Earth-3 (Steampunk), RMS Titanic makes port in Stp-New York; her paintjob is badly scratched along the starboard side, where she grazed an iceberg two days before, on April 14, 11:40 p.m. ship's time. Technologically a bit ahead and off to one side from her counterparts on Earth-1 and Earth-2, this vessel has a larger rudder, allowing better steering, and lacks some other design flaws that contributed to the tragedy of the other known Titanics - for example, she has 47 lifeboats (enough for everyone aboard, plus one to spare), compared to 20 lifeboats on the Earth-1 Titanic, and 28 on Earth-2. Due to the great size of the Olympic-class, she is unable to dock, forcing the lifeboats to serve to allow crew and passengers to disembark, as well as transporting luggage in lifeboats, tugboats, and so forth. Crunch notes: Worldline of origin is Quantum 3, TL(5+1)^, but a different TL(5+1)^ than Earth-3 is used to. * On Earth-4 (Clockpunk), in the region that later Earths call Beecroft Paeninsula, New South Wales, Australia, three legions of the Roman Empire appear, lead by Quinctilius Varus. Arriving with them is the stretch of road they march along, but not the forest that contains it. A few diviners on this Earth are aware that something arrived, but are vague as to what and where, though several, most notably Dr. John Dee, believe the newcomers to be south of the equator, and possibly on an island in the Pacific Ocean. While the new radio (see Aug. 13 and Sept. 6) makes it easier for Dr. Dee to relay his findings to the other Earths (and astronomers thereon), it's still a wide area to search. Crunch notes: Worldline of origin is Quantum 4, TL2, possible historical echo. * On Earth-5 (Fantasy), a strange man arrives among the Proto-Iroquois, having pale skin and eyes, odd clothes, and a metal pot on his head. Though he shares no languages with them, the man, who seems to be named 'Zhah-ni', seems peaceful, and is able to communicate a desire to wander around planting the seeds he carries with him, which his gestures suggest will grow into some sort of fruit tree. The elders decide to allow the stranger to do this. Crunch notes: Worldline of origin is Quantum 6, TL5. Seems to be a 'closer to the myths' version of Homeline history, possible historical echo of Crossroads-4e. Oct. 6 On Earth-2 (Dsp), Edward Lucas (see Oct. 5, above) is promoted to Midshipman, as the Captain of HMS Surprise feels that his ship could do with another officer, and he isn't comfortable keeping an Oxford man at a lower rank (if he were from Cambridge, that would be another matter). On Earth-3 (Stp), historians comparing the histories of the Titanic's Earth to those of Earth-1 and Earth-2 tentatively identify a point of divergence in 1901, when Nicola Tesla develops an electric calculating machine, which sells quite well. The presence of several professional alchemists on board, along with technology that makes use of alchemically-treated or created materials, argues for a history closer to Earth-2, and possibly an earlier point of divergence, however. The passenger and crew lists are closer to those from Earth-1 (Inp), lacking as it does such notables as Rose DeWitt Bukater, Henry Walton Jones, Jr., or Mr. S. E. MacDuff, an investor in Earth-2's Walt Disney Company. In the Stp-United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the White Star Line contacts Harland & Wolff to begin construction of a temporary dock for the vast ocean liner, as well as a permanent one (that will take much longer). Oct. 7 On Earth-1 (Inp), an astronomy student observing Fa-Britannia (Earth-5) sees a woman bathing by a waterfall; the woman lays on a rock and seems to pose, smiling at the camera. This video clip is almost immediately leaked to the internet. The Stp-British astronef Atropos (see July 7, above) reaches orbit of Dsp-Earth, and lands at Blackpool. In Nazi Germany, Himmler is assassinated, and Paul Joseph Goebbels becomes Führer. The assassination is blamed on the Jews. Oct. 10 In Stp-USA (Earth-3), a bibliophile named Arthur MacElroy slowly transmits to the two Elder Earths an 1835 anti-slavery novel called 'The Civil War, or, the Slave-Holders' Revolt,' which depicts a disturbingly accurate picture of the U.S. Civil War on both Dsp-Earth and Inp-Earth. While the names of people are different (General Upton S. Adams, a relative of recent-at-the-time President John Quincy Adams, replaces General Ulysses S. Grant) and the dates are consistently off by four years (President Moses Landon is elected in 1864, and assassinated by an actor named Leland Henry Osgood (?!), in a theatre, in 1869), the battles are consistently accurate in name, location, and outcome, and in time relative to other battles... as well as technology. Oct. 11 The Arthurian Embassy in Inp-London (Earth-1) informs the public that the woman recorded on Oct. 7 is High King Arthur's half-sister Morgant, who can see and hear through any image of herself. Unfortunately, this makes the image more popular, partly because of how few people believe it, and partly because of how many do. In Inp-USA, three of the remaining shuttle external tanks (ET-139, ET-140, and ET-141) are sequentially launched into space using 'simple' fusion-impulse thruster packs; late in the day, they settle into orbit 'behind' the International Space Station. Oct. 13 The International Society for the Ethical Treatment of the African Peoples is founded in Stp-Belgium (Earth-3), by King Leopold II. The purpose of ISETAP is to prevent atrocities such as those perpetrated by his counterparts on Inp-Earth and Dsp-Earth, and the men in their pay, in the Congo 'Free' States of those Earths. It is debatable whether he was truly as horrified as he seems, but his personal history prior to the Event is notably different from either of his counterparts in some areas, despite an interest in 'a slice of this magnificent African cake'. At the least, he did not hire Henry Morton Stanley, a man with a reputation for brutality toward the natives, to explore the Congo, instead inviting an Irish gentleman - James Sligo Jameson - to mount the expedition. On Dsp-Earth, construction of Belzec extermination camp begins. Oct. 14 On Dsp-Earth/Earth-2, the United States Rocketry Service is founded, providing the Dsp-USA with a uniformed space service. To appease the isolationists in Congress, the new service is part of the United States Post Office Department, though the ranks are those of the US Army, up to the rank of Colonel. The first Director of the USRS is Dr. Robert Goddard, and the first Deputy Director is William "Billy" Mitchell (who was dead by this time, in our history). On Earth-1 (Inp), Space Shuttle Atlantis and four SC-5 Galaxy cargo spaceplaces rendezvous with the three shuttle external tanks (see Oct. 11); orbital construction begins on Grissom Mobile Space Force Base (called 'USS Grissom' by some), which will serve as a deep space bomber-tender and fighter-carrier, into which the three external tanks will be incorporated as 'wet workshops'. Habitable space will also be provided by a number of BEAMs and possibly BA 330s, both of which are well ahead of schedule thanks to the USSF pouring more money into Bigelow Aerospace, and similar companies. The main superstructure will be a skeleton of pipes, with a fairly thin composite shell over it (the politicians and public demand that it gets built fast), but equipped with magitech shield generators and inertial dampers. Power will be provided by polywells, along with hardtech (that is to say, non-magical) fuel cells for emergencies. Armaments are not disclosed to the public, but are speculated to include missiles and lasers. Oct. 17 On Dsp-Earth/Earth-2, Curtis LeMay and George S. Patton, Jr., are among the US Army officers to join the US Rocketry Service at their Regular Army ranks. In Inp-USA, Captain Atom is officially transferred to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (which didn't exist until 1948 on Infopunk Earth), to serve as their liaison with the American branch of the Justice League NGO. Oct. 19 On Earth-3 (Stp), Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. manufactures a prototype steam-powered tank (a tank engine with treads, a longer cab for the larger crew, a built-in coal bunker with automated conveyor, the controls rearranged so the back is now the front, a lot of armour, a big gun, and some smaller guns), for testing by some friends in the Cavalry with an interest in the Future Earths. A few other locomotive manufacturers, most notably the Butterley Company of Ripley, Derbyshire, choose to create their own models, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. In Dsp-New York, RMSTitanic sets out for Queen's Island, Belfast, at a more sedate pace than her previous journey. Oct. 21 On Clp-Earth/Earth-4, the Kingdom of Kongo opens a university in Mbanza-Kongo. In Clp-Ukraine, the Third Siege of Kiev begins. On Dsp-Earth, Second Lieutenant Charles E. Yeager, USRS, pilots Director Goddard's Daedalus Manned Rocket in a suborbital flight from Muroc Rocket Field (formerly part of March Field) to the Manhattan Rocket Field on an artificial island in New York Harbor. The rocket appears somewhat odd by Inp-Earth standards, as the engine is at the front of the rocket, pulling it like an airplane; further, the Daedalus is a VTOL craft, a 'tail-lander'. Oct. 23 In Dsp-UK, the marriage of Grand Duchess Anastasia's eldest son, Nicolas Mikhail, to Princess Maria Perdita of the House of Wertigo (eldest daughter and second child of Erich III, King-in-Exile of Vlatava), occurs at Winchester Cathedral. In Dsp-USA, 2nd Lt. Yeager pilots the Daedalus Rocket on its return journey to Muroc, though without Director Goddard, instead carrying NYC Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. Oct. 25 On Earth-3 (Stp), RMS Titanic reaches Belfast, and the dock built for her, a little after sunrise. Some adjustments have to be made, but they are accomplished by mid-afternoon. On Earth-2 (Dsp), Mayor La Guardia returns to New York by train, having found microgravity to be uncomfortable. Oct. 25 On Earth-3 (Stp), RMS Titanic reaches Belfast, and the dock built for her, a little after sunrise. Some adjustments have to be made, but they are accomplished by mid-afternoon. On Earth-2 (Dsp), Mayor La Guardia returns to New York by train, having found microgravity to be uncomfortable. Oct. 31 The Thule Society's Hallowe'en Curse does not go exactly as planned. The intention was to raise as zombies the dead on Infopunk Earth/Earth-1 who died loyal to Hitler and/or the Third Reich, with as much if their equipment as was available, to strike at the Inp-Earth Allies in a manner they could not be prepared for. This is rather hard to accomplish, especially as it involves trying to raise not only men, but tanks, planes, and ships. As a result of this, combined with the number of rituals directed against it, relatively few zombies rise, though many ghosts do. Likewise, many of the ghosts who manifest are enemies of the Third Reich, whether being enemy combatants, or Wehrmacht personnel who hated the Nazis. Few of the ghosts are able to deal damage directly to solid matter (as seen, for example, when the ghost of a U-boat fires two torpedoes at the USS Constitution, a wooden sailing frigate operated by the US Navy as a training vessel, doing no damage whatsoever), but they are quite capable of causing hallucinations, Terror effects, bad luck, and other often-traumatic disruptions. They are also capable of 'damaging' each other, as seen when the ghost of the Bismark is rammed and sunk by the ghost of the HMS Hood, or when the shades of various sailors, seemingly commanded by a ghostly lady in 18th Century dress, fire a broadside at the U-boat, discorporating it. Similar situations prevail on land and in the skies, as Rommel and Patton are seen in Germany, leading a force of ghost-tanks together, against the undead Waffen-SS, and the Battle of Britain is fought again. Interestingly, the areas surrounding the former Death Camps are relatively safe, as any Nazi ghosts rising nearby, or daring to approach, are immediately torn to shreds by the vengeful spirits of their victims. The living are not all helpless, themselves, as anyone either properly empowered, or merely strong-willed, can harm the spirits that approach them - indeed, many ghost-planes are shot down by properly empowered missiles, or rammed by jets, and several ghost-ships are rammed and sunk by the Iowas that are in the Atlantic, in accordance with the prophesy, while the 'living' battleships take no damage beyond blown circuit breakers and disturbed crews. Before the night is over, thousands of Lanterns and other empowered folk arrive in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa by suborbital aerospace craft, and while anti-Black Lantern tactics don't work as well on other undead, the training did prepare them for the general horror that spirits can inflict, turning the battle from a stalemate to a rout. The vast majority of the ghosts on both sides are gone by sunrise. Clarification: This is not a direct crossover with The Sea Queens (nor with Kantai Collection, nor Arpeggio of Blue Steel), though like a lot of other things, they did supply some inspiration. The 'ship girls' in this setting are spirits, not solid entities. See 'On Anthropomorphic Personifications', currently being written, for more information. Category:Timelines Category:Fanwork